1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a graphical voice response system and method, and more particularly to a graphical voice response system and method which, when connection is made to a party with a recorded phone menu, displays an interactive graphical screen.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional telephony applications, a user (e.g., caller) dials a party and typically receives an audio phone menu of choices which the user can access by pressing certain keys on a number pad. Typically, the caller must listen to an entire phone menu sequentially, and thus the time spent on such phone calls is long and costly. Thus, the conventional manner of hearing the entire phone instruction before making selections consumes a lot of time. Thus, phone bills are high and efficiency is low. Yet another problem is that the user has the aggravation of having to remember the options or having to write them down.
Additionally, most companies nowadays have web sites that serve a similar purpose as recorded phone menus. However, users typically have to switch from one application to another, to access the web site. Thus, this is inconvenient.
Further, while usage of the Internet has made great strides in the past several years, most users have access to a phone but not so much to the Internet. Thus, obtaining information from the company sometimes is inconvenient, especially for mobile telephone users.
Another problem of the conventional systems/methods is that access to the Internet/World-Wide-Web (WWW) requires logging-in to an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Log-in may be a lengthy process, requiring the user to wait for an available line or other delays. Thus, access to the Web may be time consuming.
Yet another problem is that when a voice phone menu changes, if a user has memorized the numbers and options provided on the recorded phone menu, the user may automatically "punch in" the wrong numbers. This is inconvenient and aggravating to the user, and the user must ultimately listen to the lengthy, recorded phone menu again.